NXT TakeOver: Tampa Bay

{{Infobox Wrestling event

|name = NXT TakeOver: Tampa Bay

|image = Takeover Tampa.jpg

|caption =

|tagline =

|promotion = WWE

|brand = NXT

|attendance =

|date = April 4, 2020 (canceled)

|venue = Amalie Arena

|city = Tampa, Florida

|wwenlast = Elimination Chamber

|wwennext = WrestleMania 36

|event = NXT TakeOver

|lastevent2 = Portland

|nextevent2 = In Your House

}}

NXT TakeOver: Tampa Bay was a scheduled professional wrestling livestreaming event that was to be produced by WWE. It would have been the 29th NXT TakeOver event held exclusively for wrestlers from the promotion's NXT brand division—TakeOver: In Your House in June in turn became the 29th. The event was originally scheduled to take place on April 4, 2020, from the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, but had been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event was ultimately canceled, but matches scheduled and planned for the event were rescheduled to take place across multiple episodes of NXT, starting April 1.

Production

=Background=

TakeOver was a series of professional wrestling shows that began in May 2014, as WWE's NXT brand held their second WWE Network-exclusive event, billed as TakeOver.{{cite web|last=Howell|first=Nolan|title=Neville tops Kidd at NXT Takeover|url=http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2014/05/29/21705191.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150730064238/http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2014/05/29/21705191.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 30, 2015|website=canoe.ca|date=May 29, 2014|access-date=September 21, 2017}} In subsequent months, the "TakeOver" moniker became the brand used by WWE for all of their NXT live specials. TakeOver: Tampa Bay would have been the 29th NXT TakeOver event (In Your House in June in turn became the 29th). It was titled Tampa Bay as it was to be held in the Tampa Bay area in Florida and it was scheduled to be a support event for WrestleMania 36.{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/TripleH/status/1204121585675882497|title=This February, @WWENXT heads out west for an #NXTRoadTrip in: #NXTPhoenix 2/7 #NXTLasVegas 2/8 #NXTRiverside 2/9...and then TAKES OVER @WrestleMania weekend in Tampa. #NXTTakeOver: Tampa is LIVE Saturday, April 4, 2020. Tickets on sale THIS Friday. #WeAreNXT|last=H|first=Triple|date=December 9, 2019|work=Twitter|access-date=December 9, 2019}}

The event was scheduled to take place on April 4, 2020, from the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida,{{cite web|url=https://travelpackages.wwe.com/event/wrestlemania-36|title=Travel Packages - Wrestlemania 36|publisher=WWE|accessdate=November 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200104040632/https://travelpackages.wwe.com/event/wrestlemania-36|archive-date=January 4, 2020|url-status=dead}} however, like WWE's other WrestleMania week events, TakeOver: Tampa Bay was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/CityofTampa/status/1239692219700969472|title=#COVID19 Update: @WWE @WrestleMania and all related events in Tampa Bay will not take place. However, WrestleMania will still stream live on Sunday, April 5 at 7 pm ET on WWE Network and be available on pay-per-view. See the full statement|work=City of Tampa on Twitter|date=March 16, 2020|accessdate=March 16, 2020}}{{cite web|last=Tedesco|first=Mike|title=NXT TakeOver and the WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony not taking place during WM weekend|url=https://www.wrestleview.com/wwe-news/151733-nxt-takeover-and-the-wwe-hall-of-fame-ceremony-not-taking-place-during-wm-weekend/|work=WrestleView|date=March 16, 2020|accessdate=March 16, 2020}} On March 24, it was announced that TakeOver: Tampa Bay had been canceled, but matches scheduled and planned for the event were rescheduled to take place across multiple episodes of NXT beginning April 1.{{cite web|last=Powell|first=Jason|title=NXT Takeover: Tampa's scheduled matches will air on NXT TV|url=https://prowrestling.net/site/2020/03/24/nxt-takeover-tampas-scheduled-matches-will-air-on-nxt-tv/|work=Pro Wrestling Dot Net|date=March 24, 2020|accessdate=March 26, 2020}}

= Storylines =

The card would have included matches that resulted from scripted storylines, where wrestlers portrayed heroes, villains, or less distinguishable characters to build tension and culminate in a wrestling match or series of matches, with results predetermined by WWE's writers on the NXT brand, with storylines produced on their weekly television program.{{cite web|title=How Pro Wrestling Works|url=http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/pro-wrestling.htm|last=Grabianowski|first=Ed|work=HowStuffWorks|date=13 January 2006 |publisher=Discovery Communications|accessdate=March 5, 2012|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131129050844/http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/pro-wrestling.htm|archivedate=November 29, 2013}}{{cite web|title=Live & Televised Entertainment|url=http://corporate.wwe.com/company/events.jsp|publisher=WWE|accessdate=March 21, 2012|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090218142749/http://corporate.wwe.com/company/events.jsp|archivedate=February 18, 2009}}

Prior to the event's cancellation, only one match had been confirmed for TakeOver: Tampa Bay. On the February 26 episode of NXT, General Manager William Regal announced that there would be a ladder match at the event to determine the number one contender for the NXT Women's Championship. In addition, he revealed that the participants for the ladder match would be determined through a series of qualifying matches held over several weeks.{{cite web|last=Moore|first=John|title=2/26 NXT TV results: Moore's review of Charlotte Flair vs. Bianca Belair, Tommaso Ciampa vs. Austin Theory, Dominik Dijakovic vs. Cameron Grimes, Finn Balor's appearance|url=https://prowrestling.net/site/2020/02/26/2-26-nxt-tv-results-moores-review-of-charlotte-flair-vs-bianca-belair-tommaso-ciampa-vs-austin-theory-dominik-dijakovic-vs-cameron-grimes-finn-balors-appearance/|work=Pro Wrestling Dot Net|date=February 26, 2020|accessdate=February 29, 2020}} Chelsea Green, Mia Yim, and Tegan Nox qualified for the match by defeating Shotzi Blackheart, Dakota Kai, and Deonna Purrazzo, respectively.{{cite web|last=Moore|first=John|title=3/4 NXT TV results: Moore's review of Velveteen Dream vs. Roderick Strong in a cage match, Tegan Nox vs. Dakota Kai in a cage match, Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly vs. Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan|url=https://prowrestling.net/site/2020/03/04/3-4-nxt-tv-results-moores-review-of-velveteen-dream-vs-roderick-strong-in-a-cage-match-tegan-nox-vs-dakota-kai-in-a-cage-match-bobby-fish-and-kyle-oreilly-vs-danny-burch-and-oney-lorcan/|work=Pro Wrestling Dot Net|date=March 4, 2020|accessdate=March 5, 2020}}{{cite web|last=Moore|first=John|title=3/11 NXT TV results: Moore's review of Matt Riddle and Pete Dunne vs. Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly for the NXT Tag Titles, Keith Lee vs. Cameron Grimes for the North American Title, WWE Performance Center edition|url=https://prowrestling.net/site/2020/03/11/3-11-nxt-tv-results-moores-review-of-matt-riddle-and-pete-dunne-vs-bobby-fish-and-kyle-oreilly-for-the-nxt-tag-titles-keith-lee-vs-cameron-grimes-for-the-north-american-title-wwe-performance/|work=Pro Wrestling Dot Net|date=March 11, 2020|accessdate=March 12, 2020}} Following the announcement of the event's cancellation, the remaining ladder match participants continued to qualify on NXT.{{cite web|last=Moore|first=John|title=3/25 NXT TV results: Moore's review of Triple H confronting Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano, Matt Riddle vs. Roderick Strong, Tyler Breeze vs. Austin Theory, Candice LeRae vs. Mercedes Martinez and Xia Li vs. Aliyah in qualifiers for the No. 1 contenders ladder match|url=https://prowrestling.net/site/2020/03/25/3-25-nxt-tv-results-moores-review-of-triple-h-confronting-tommaso-ciampa-and-johnny-gargano-matt-riddle-vs-roderick-strong-tyler-breeze-vs-austin-theory-candice-lerae-vs-mercedes-martinez-and/|work=Pro Wrestling Dot Net|date=March 25, 2020|accessdate=March 26, 2020}}